While It Lasts
by Eternally Seventeen
Summary: Renemsee Cullen - Bella's and Edward's darling daughter; Jacob's precious imprintee; life-bringer to the Cullen family & an enigma to the world in general. Explores the POVs of Bella, Edward and Jacob and how much they will miss her human qualities. R&R!


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Summary:

She's the fruit of her passionate love affair with Edward and resembles his looks exceptionally well. She reminds Edward of his Bella and matches her mother in her dare-devility and love of english litarature. She's Jacob's imprintee - his one true love for ever more to come. But Renesmee Carly Cullen also a half-human, half-vampire - destined to remain eternally sixteen, have venemous blood course through her veins and emjoy merely months of childhood. This is a tale told through the eyes of Bella, Edward and Jacob, each expressing their infinite yet different forms of love for Renesmee and how much they will miss the parts of her that will change forever once she matures. ONESHOT.

**A/N:** Here's my second Twilight fic! Hope that you all enjoy reading it as much as I've LOVED writing this; please do leave a **review, **too!

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**While It Lasts**

**--In Tranquil Sleep--**

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_To a child's ear, 'mother' is magic in any language._

_-Arlene Benedict_

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**Bella's POV-**

"Mom?" cooed Renesmee for what I estimated was the third time, finally succeeding in getting me out of my reverie.

"What is it, honey?" I asked her absent-mindedly, my gaze fixated on the huge, old pines that marked the beginning of the forest – the very same one where Edward had gone hunting. I was beginning to get thirsty myself but felt a sudden possessive urge towards Renesmee and wasn't too keen on handing her over to a snoring Jacob.

The very idea of Jacob imprinting on Renesmee, my daughter was one that had left me cold for days. Which was very, very ironic – considering the fact that I'm a vampire and am cold _all the time._

I wasn't exactly overjoyed at my best friend imprinting on Renesmee – she was my daughter, for Lord's sake! I grinned wryly at the thought now. Suddenly, Renesmee placed her little hand on my cheek, showing me a vivid image of her father gliding smoothly from the treetops.

"He'll be back soon, honey," I reassured, rocking her from side to side. "I want him back soon, too." Renesmee rarely spoke, choosing to show us instead what she meant, wanted or felt with her unique ability of being able to show images upon physical touch. "When?" she whimpered.

I sighed inwardly, trying my best to not let the concern show in my eyes. Renesmee was unnaturally sharp and would detect it if I had the slightest hint of worry or uncertainty in me.

"Soon, sweetie," I whispered, tucking a loose chestnut curl behind a perfect ear.

But she was half-human, after all, and soon the tiredness built within her gave way. She yawned once, parting her rosebud lips to expose her even, pearly teeth. I had to smile. It was such a cute sight! After ensuring that I would be next to her (as if I would even dream of moving away from her!), she laid her head on my lap and pulled her hair free from its restricting ponytail. Her glossy mahogany locks fanned across my lap.

Slowly, in deliberate movements, I stroked the shiny curls of the little sleeping angel whose mother I was blessed enough to be. I gently and tenderly moved my hands over her smooth, still forehead and rosy cheeks, savoring the feeling of her warm, sweet skin under my cold hands. Slowly, I moved just my thumbs across her thin eyelids and the bruise-like, purple shadows that were there under her eyes. Her long, thick lashes dusted her cheeks, making her looks like a fairy-tale princess who had been put into a charmed slumber.

She looked so peaceful and angelic on my lap, that I impulsively placed my lips on her cheeks, taking in her exceptionally sweet scent and placing feather-light kisses upon her cheeks and forehead.

I could spend hours on end like this, just watching our baby sleep. Being a half and half, we knew from a first-hand account that soon, Renesmee would lose the ability to sleep. And along with that, I would lose one of the most precious experiences that I have had – cuddled up in Edward's embrace and watching tirelessly as our baby slept, She was so fascinating even in her sleep; we couldn't draw our eyes away from her. I missed Edward tremendously tonight and wished to pieces that he would be back from hunting _soon_.

And that's when I decided to try something out. Tentatively, I took her hand gently and with minimum motion, placed her palm on my cheek.

The bright bursts of colour that exploded before my eyes at the touch staggered me. Surprised beyond belief, I let out a little cry of surprise…walking Renesmee up in the process.

"Oh, sorry, honey," I whispered apologetically, scooping her out of the bed and into my arms.

She didn't look startled or even dazed as a normal baby who had just been disturbed from her sleep would look – she looked perfectly awake and vibrant, as usual. But her eyes were sad, and I knew without speaking that she was pining for Edward. "Daddy, daddy," she cried softly. I was alarmed. I didn't understand why she was missing Edward so badly tonight – she was accustomed to when we went hunting at night (which happened only on very rare occasions – we usually hunted together, as a family – Edward, Renesmee and I, sometimes even Jacob).

As if he had heard her, Edward breezed into our little cottage at that very moment. Taking Renesmee from my hands much to her delight, he placed feathery kisses on her rosy cheeks which made her giggle. She placed her hand on his smooth, marble cheek which produced a sigh from him a few seconds later. And though I did not possess the ability to read minds, I had a very good idea of what she might have shown him – she was communicating that she had missed him a lot, and didn't want to leave him for the rest of the night.

"My little Renesmee," sighed Edward, cuddling her. I could only imagine how much he would have missed her and smiled gently. Watching the two people that I loved the most in the entire universe – my husband and my daughter - together, was such a beautiful and satisfying sight, not to mention _feeling_. "But I had to hunt, honey, and I'm so sorry for keeping my little angel waiting. Uncle Emmet was not exactly in a very…cooperative mood. Will you forgive me?" She nodded endearingly, causing her shiny mahogany curls to bob up and down. I stifled back a giggle. I could only imagine what had happened.

"Story?" she asked, directing her gaze towards me.

I nodded despite my now-growing thirst that was burning dully at the back of my throat. Not even hunting was more important to me than my daughter. _If she wanted to be read to before falling asleep, then so be it. _I could sense the concern emanating from Edward long before our gazes met. He glanced at my eyes, onyx with thirst. I lifted my shield and allowing him to read my mind. I did not want to say anything that would disturb Renesmee, not when we had this silent and supremely effective method of communication.

_It's alright, love…I will go and hunt just as soon as I put Nessie to sleep. You know as well as I do, that she will lose the ability to sleep pretty soon, and every night is just so precious…_

_I understand, Bella. And I have complete faith in you, more that I have ever had on myself. You have displayed amazing self control, so an hour wouldn't hurt, right?"_

I nodded and withdrew my hold on the shield, feeling it recoil instantly within me. I signaled to Edward to come along with me to put Nessie to sleep again. She piggybacked me, literally dancing on my back before clasping her hands firmly around my neck and her legs around my middle. While Edward laughed at the sight, we walked hand in hand towards our baby's room.

Edward switched on the lamps while I deposited Nessie onto her huge, ornate bed. Wildflower carvings snaked up its legs, giving it a natural yet ethereal look. The headboard had her name carved on it in an elegant script, courtesy Esme, her 'granmommy'. Aquamarine sheets covered the bed, for she seemed to have taken after Edward for the love of the colour blue.

Renesmee placed her hand on my cheek again, showing me an image of her reading. I was momentarily stunned. It had been barely a month since her natural birth and though she was growing at a tremendous pace, I hadn't expected her to be able to read so soon. From the bed where he lay down besides her, Edward chuckled. No doubts he had read Renesmee's thoughts. "Let's show mum, shall we?" he said amidst chuckles.

"All right, young lady," I declared, hoisting her onto my back once more and facing the bookshelves. "What is it that you would like to read?" Slowly and deliberately, she pulled out a tattered and almost torn copy of _Pride and Prejudice._ For the third time that night, Renesmee stunned me with her actions, thoughts and needs.

"She has taken after you in every way, Bella," said Edward softly, placing his arms around my waist and bending down to give me and Renesmee a soft kiss on our foreheads. I buried my face into his chest and inhaled his beautiful smell deeply. "Daddy? Mommy?" came the clear, high pitched bell-like voice from my back. I took her from my back into my arms, and gave her to Edward, Rarely did we put her down, choosing instead to keep her within our warm embrace for as long as we could, for we knew that at the rate she was growing, her baby days were severely numbered.

She pointed towards the book, and then stared unblinkingly at Edward for some time. "Alright," he said, and, carrying her into his arms, spun around at a speed that any human would have looked upon with awe– and would have surely fainted.

"She just wanted a bit of a thrill, that's all," he explained, coming to a standstill. "She has missed me so much; it's hard to believe that I deserve so much love from the two of you." His eyes shone brightly. I shook my head at him wryly and he smiled my favourite and heart-stopping (when my heart could beat, that is) crooked smile.

"Story time!" sang Renesmee. We placed her upon her bed, taking up positions on either side of her like her very own personal bodyguards. I fluffed the pillows that she would keep behind her back, while Edward secured the giant quilt around her little feet. When we were satisfied, she lay back on the pillows and gave a sigh of satisfaction. "I love it," she said, looking dreamy.

And then, opening the book, she began reading perfectly in her high, lilting voice while Edward and I exchanged awestruck glances.

I loved watching our baby sleep, and it pained me to so many degrees that soon, all that I would have left of a sleeping Renesmee were a few memories. Which was not enough for me. Not like I had a choice, though.

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**--My Small, Tiny Baby--**

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_A daughter is the happy memories of the past, the joyful moments of the present, and the hope and promise of the future._

_-Unknown_

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**-Edward's POV-**

Any other set of parents enjoyed a _minimum_ of three years, having their baby being a _baby._ But when your baby happens to be a half-human, half-vampire born as a result of an uncontrollable urge that you will be forever ashamed of, it so happens that the baby starts looking like a three year old by the time she barely reaches a month from the actual date of birth.

I wanted to kill it when I first came to know about Bella's pregnancy – I knew that sooner or later, it would kill my Bella. But the day that I began to hear her thoughts changed my entire perspective. She loved Bella and I with such innocent and wholesome love, and I loved her with every particle of my being. Though my heart hasn't beaten in ninety-odd years, Bella has revived it and our child has only increased my ability to love to a zenith I wasn't aware I was even capable of.

The greatest drawback in our now happy little family was the fact that Renesmee, being half-vampire and half-human, had a weird gene in her that accelerated her growth. Bella had almost gone mad with grief when Carlisle actually calculated the rate she was growing at, and it came as a great relief to _both _of us that when she reached a certain age - Carlisle estimated sixteen-ish – she would stop growing, and will always be our little daughter Nessie forever.

It was so very lightening to know, right from the mouth of the only other half and half I have ever interacted with, that their kinds do live forever – the immortality gene never misses. Because had it not been so, I don't think that Bella or I would have ever recovered from the shock of losing our only _own_ daughter... not when we were among the eternally damned; immortal. Thankfully, such an unpleasantness wasn't on our list of things to worry for.

But there were other things, and I could see on the rare occasion that Bella lifted her shield, that she too was consumed by the same worries as I was – the fact that we could only _baby_ our darling angel for a few months. Which wasn't very much at all, considering the fact that our kind lived on forever. The insane speed at which she was first growing _had _decreased, but still, it wasn't quite that much. Emmet and Rosalie, having done their fair share of research estimated that she had about a year to a year and a half, before turning fifteen or sixteen – forever. At least we would have our fifteen-year old daughter for an eternity.

And so, using the time that we had in our hands to the maximum possible that we could, Bella and I monopolized (or at least tried to) every waking moment of our little sweetie's time. We tried to do _everything _together as a family – Renesmee had fallen in love with the piano and so while we played it in the evenings, Bella sat by us with a dreamy expression on her angelic face, enjoying the pure, ringing notes to the depths of her soul. I had taught Renesmee the ballad that I used to play for Bella while she was still a human and she played it over and over again to perfection, getting immense pleasure from the look of pure bliss and love radiating out of her mother.

We even hunted together, for Renesmee took after her mother in one way – the need for thrill and danger in her life. Thankfully, she's not exactly the danger magnet that Bella was (or rather, is!), and for that I'm very thankful. Her hunting skills were far advanced and Jacob had done a lot to help her – not once had she ever gotten a drop of blood on her clothes, and that _was_ something.

Alice and Rosalie, being her aunts after all (and the most annoying aunts, in my opinion!) grabbed maximum advantage of Renesmee and dressed her up lavishly every other moment or so it seemed, buying her a new dress almost every day. Bella was particularly irked by this – she felt that it was an unnecessary waste of hard earned money ('Hard earned?" Alice had scoffed) on a child who was growing at such a speed since it was doubtful if she would ever wear those clothes more than once.

Alice, being the exuberant one showed no signs of relenting with her shopping spree, though – she said that the clothes could go to charity once they fit Renesmee no longer. For once, Rose and Alice were sided up against Bella, and so she could do nothing about it other that give them dark looks, which they wholly ignored.

In my dark and complex life, Renesmee arrival made such drastic changes. And mind-blowing ones, too! Bella and I got even closer, bonding over our enchanting baby whose mind I could read even while she was within Bella's womb. She brought about a whirlwind of life, energy and colour into our lives, endearing to the hearts of all around her. After all, when she had won over even people as cold-hearted as the Volturi, what were mere humans, werewolves or even the sourest vampires in comparison?

And so one of my greatest pleasures became just watching Renesmee, regardless of what it was that she was doing – dancing around with Alice, deriving pleasure in her automatically smooth movements; teaching her to play the piano-forte and reveling in the look of bliss on her angelic face; arguing heatedly with Jasper on what she liked to call 'vampire politics' – she truly detested Caius for killing Irina this way and felt that it was not the fate she deserved, even though it was her folly that had landed us Cullens in such deep soup with the Voltouri; curled up on our bed with Bella, reading the very same books that Bella had read once – and watching her reminiscently, the love lighting up her face, as she took off to be with 'her' Jacob.

It was so hard, knowing that our days with her as a baby were numbered. We clicked photo after photo, knowing that soon enough that they, complimented by our memories were all that we would have as a remainder of Renesmee's baby months. At least we had the consolation that she _would_ be ours, forever and ever more to come. And I survived, knowing that there _was_ hope.

**--La Tua Cantante: The Song of Blood—**

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_Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle._

_-Amy Bloom_

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**-Jacob's POV-**

Is it mere irony, that the creature I had once wanted to rip apart with my own hands became my imprint; my one true love for eternity? Or chance, that I, a _werewolf _went weak at the knees whenever I saw the blood rush up to her cheeks, felt her tiny, neither cool nor warm palm upon my cheek to _show _me what she was thinking or placed my hot lips to her pale forehead?

When I discovered that Bella, my best friend ever was _pregnant _and that the baby growing within her was fathered by that darned leech Edward, I could feel the fury burn deep within me and tried to keep it under control - only and only for Bella's sake. It was all I could do from phasing then and there and destroying the thing that was growing so rapidly with Bella, slowly killing her in the process. To put it _mildly,_ I was enraged.

But Nessie's (my Nessie's?) birth changed everything. I actually chuckled when I thought of the name that I had kept for Bella's daughter Renesmee (fusing her mother's name with her mother-in—law's in typical Bella thinking) – Nessie. It fit; it suited her colorful personality very well. But Bella had obviously disagreed, taking it as a personal insult that I had named her beloved daughter after the _Loch Ness Monster. _Jeez. When all I had been trying to do, was shorten the name 'Renesmee.'

When Bella had completed her transformation to vampire (the word still left a bad taste in my mouth) and had met us for the first time, she had had _no _idea that I had happened to imprint on her daughter. Surprisingly, Edward had been extremely understanding despite the age-long enmity existing among the werewolves and vampires. And as much as I _hated _to admit it, I hadn't been the politest guy to him and it was such a relief for me that he hadn't kicked me out of the Cullen mansion long ago. For that fact alone, I was indebted to Edward.

How I had managed to imprint upon Renesmee was a matter of bewilderment to all the werewolves I know –and it was beyond me, too. Perhaps it was fate – I couldn't have Bella, but her daughter was made for me and me only.

But when news of my imprinting on Renesmee reached Bella (as was to happen), she was furious beyond belief. And pleading at the same time, too. I guessed that she wanted her daughter to have her say at love, not bound to a werewolf because he happened to imprint upon her; especially not at this tender age. My nickname for her only worsened things.

"Can't you do _anything_ about it, Jake?" she had begged me, her blood-red eyes managing to look beseeching despite their freaky crimson shade.

"It just happens, Bells," I had explained, still cuddling Nessie close to me. I didn't want to give her up – not now, not ever.

With unnerving speed even _I _was incapable of, Nessie was out of my arms and into hers. As I looked, she placed her palm upon her mother's cheek and I realised that she was using her supernatural talent of _showing_ what she felt, or wanted at the time. I chuckled at Bella's shocked expression which soon melted into a dazzling smile directed towards Renesmee (I had been trying very hard to call her that). When she looked at me, though, the smile was immediately replaced with a scowl.

"She loved both of us and doesn't like to see us fight," she admitted grudgingly. I bet she was displeased at having the share the first position in Nessie's list of people she loved, along with me. Not like that was going to stop me. In an attempt to cool her down and regain my best friend, I threw an arm around her.

"Aw, Bells!" I exclaimed loudly. "We both got what we wanted, right? I will never annoy you the way I did before I'm extremely sorry for that. You found your soul mate in Edward and I did in Nes- uh, Renesmee."

"This is not exactly what I had had in mind when I told you to find yourself a girl," she muttered, so inaudibly that I myself had to strain in order to hear her. But she handed Ness over to be nevertheless when Edward called her. She had to go hunting.

From that moment on, Bella had surrendered herself to the fact that Nessie and I were inseparable. Despite the fact that she was a half-vampire, she smelled tantalizing; because, unlike any of the other Cullens, sweet blood flowed in her veins and was pumped by her beating heart. And I wanted to be by her side at every single moment - or at least I tried to.

Of course I faced stiff competition – Renesmee was literally growing up before our eyes, and we all knew that she would become an eternally seventeen Nessie pretty soon. Having the choice of being a teenage eternally myself (and boy, was I going to use that choice!), that fact didn't really bother me. I was thanking the gods above that she would never age beyond that. But that didn't necessarily mean that there weren't other things bothering me.

During the grand showdown with the Volturi where that damned traitor Irina or whoever was ripped apart to pieces much to my satisfaction, we had encountered yet another half and half- Nahuel (who had been discovered my that annoyingly bouncy Cullen girl. Alice) He was supposedly only one other half and half that Renesmee to exist in the world.

The essence of our interaction with that shy chap was that as soon as Nessie reached the age of maturation, roughly around sixteen or so- she would slowly start losing her losing her human abilities and would go more towards the vampiric side. Even her blood would become venomous, which was something it wasn't right now.

That was one of the facts that I was most afraid would come true – because, as legends go, werewolves do not imprint on vampires. It just wasn't done; one of the major reasons was because their venom was deadly to our wellbeing, despite the fact that we heal supremely fast.

I am not one who is big on legends, but since I was thrown into the world of the supernatural and every single legend that our forefathers had passed on to us came true, including me being a werewolf and the Cullen being vampires – I wasn't taking chances. But just as Leah had defied all odds by being the only female werewolf ever, I prayed fervently that I would be a werewolf with a vampire imprint. Or something like that. Hey, I had managed to imprint on her, right? Now I only had to hope that it stayed that way.

But, as I said, I wasn't exactly taking chances. Renesmee was the most intriguing and loving individual I had ever witnessed (well, after Bella), and it honoured me that I played such a large part in her life – her 'one true love'. I enjoyed hunting with her the most – it was when we could truly be ourselves (well, for me at least) and it was where we could enjoy precious moments of privacy – for Edward couldn't hear my thoughts when I was that far away from him.

She ran through the forests at impressive speeds and I bounded by her side in my werewolf form, sometimes carrying her small frame upon my back, She held on to my russet fur and as we raced through the deep forest in a blur, she shared with me the experiences of her day and sorrowfully expressed as to how much she's missed me while I was either away or sleeping. I played with her long curls that was almost the colour of my fur, only way, way glossier and prettier and softly kissed her cheeks and forehead while she blushed, reminiscent of Bella. Her eyes shone at diamonds or perhaps brighter whenever I showered my love on her

She had elegance about her regardless of what it was that she was doing, even hunting. She danced through the air to her own tempo and melody (but synchronizing perfectly with the beat of my heart at the same time), expertly catching an elk in mid air and draining it greedily. Once her thirst was satisfied and I had hunted too (I tended to delay – I was usually spellbound as I watched Nessie feed), we settled underneath the cool, leafy shade of our favourite ancient oak and found comfort in just being with each other.

These valuable times with Renesmee was what kept me going for the rest of my time and later on, too. I thrived on the hours I spent with my Nessie; my lips automatically pulled up into a huge grin the moment she was in my sight. The way she called me 'her Jake' made my hear thump louder than normal, as though it had a life of its own. She was the most important part of me, and I wanted her to be mine forever. All I had to hope for now was that fate meant for us to be together too. I couldn't picture a life for me without Nessie – I'd rather die that live in a world without her as my imprint.

Only now could I ever sympathize with Edward, and the immense love he felt for Bella that he was even ready to _die_ than live when he came to know of her cliff-diving.

Love, it made people do strange things. Apparently, it applied to vampires and werewolves too.

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**A/N:** Liked it? Loved it? Hated it? Whatever it is, please REVIEW!

No flaming though - they will be promptly ignored, as I beieve that they show signs of cowardice.

REVIEW!! PLEASE!!

Oh, and I have written another Twilight fic: **Epiphany. **If interested, please do go R&R for **Epiphany**, too! I would be very much obliged :P

Signing off until the next thing I post,

SashaWPevensie (The Eternally Clumsy).


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